Propelling mechanism for dredges, &amp; c.



No. 717,354. Patented Dec. 30, I9Q2. A. N. 631188.

PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR DBEDGES, 8w.

(Application filed Mar. 31, 1902.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets Sheet I.

Wii asses lg cgior.

mz NORRIS b-EYERS ca. PHomuwQ, WASHINGTON, a c

2 Shaats-8heot 2.

' Patented Dec. 30, I902.

A.. N. cnoss. PROPELLING MECHANISM FDR DBEDGES, 8w. (Application fllsd 1m. 31, 1902.

V w m w No. 7l7,354.

('lo mum UNITED STATES ATENT FFlCE.

ALBERT N. OF GRAND RAPIDS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CLARK R. TREAT, OF MEADOW VALLEY, WISCONSIN.

PVROPELLIQNG MECHANISMLFOR DREDGES, aw.

srncimcarron'rd min part of Letters Patent No. 717,354, dated December 30, 1902. Application filed March 31, 1902. Serial No. 100,795. (No model.)

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBER'DN. CROSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county'of Woodand State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Propelling Mechanism for Dredges, &c., of

which the following is a specification.

My inventionis an improved propelling mechanism for dredges,excavating-machines, and other machines of like character, and also relates to means for adjusting the mast which carries the dredger arm or boom, so that the mast may at alltimes be maintained in a vertical position; and my invention consists'in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a topplan view-showing the supporting-frame of a dredger or excavating-machine provided with a propelling mechanism and with a mastadjusting mechanism embodying my improvemen ts. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, showing the propelling-runners in engagement with the surface on which the dredger is supported and in the act of moving the dredger forwardly. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the propelling-runner in its elevated position out of contact with the surface on which the dredger is supported and run forward ready to rengage the surface and propel the dredger or machine forwardly. Fig;

5 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line a a in Fig. 3, parts of the'jframe of the dredger and the propellingrunner being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a' detail vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same, taken on a plane indicated by the line b h of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal sectional view of the same, taken on a plane indicated by the line a. 0 of Fig. 6.

In the embodiment of my invention here shown the frame 1,Which supports thedredger or excavating machine, is provided at its sides with the" pairs, of longitudinallydisposed beams'2 3,-fappropriately spaced apart to form guideways 4 between them, a pair of transversely-disposed beams 5 6 at its front end spaced apart to form a guideway 7 between them, a pair of cross-beams 8 9 at its side of the frame 21.

rear end spaced apart, as at 10, and a pair of longitudinal beams 11, which are intermediate of the beams 3, have their front ends connected to the beam 6' and their rear ends connected to the beam 9. Disposed above the sides of the frame 1 and connected thereto aretruss-frames 12, each of which has a longitudinal guideway 13, which extends vertically through the truss-frame, being formed by spacing the longitudinal beams 14 of the truss-frame apart. Supporting-runners 15, which are of suitable construction and dimensions, are disposed under the corners of the frame 1 and have vertical standards 16, which are disposed in the spaces between the transverse beams at the front and rear ends of the said frame, and the said standards are provided with series of adjusting-openings l7 toreceive bolts 18, that secure them between the said transverse beams, as shown. It will be understood that the supporting-runners may be adjusted vertically to raise or lower the frame 1, as may be required, and to compensate for inequalities which may exist on the surface on which the machine is in operation, so that the frame 1 may be kept in an approximately horizontal position.

The lower end of the mast 19, which is disposed at the front end of the frame 1, is journaled in a fixed support 20, that is carried by said frame, and is here shown as secured on the central portions of the beams 5 6. An adjusting-frame 21, which is here shown as substantially A-shaped, has its base-beam 22 disposed between the beams 5 6 and provided on its ends with transversely-disposed slide plates or blocks 23, that bear upon the upper sides of the beams 5 6, are adapted to slide-thereon, and hence serve to support the.

frame 21 and enable the latter to be shifted laterally in the gnideway 7. Cross plates or arms 24; are also shown as secured to the under side of the beam 22 and bearing under and movable with relation to the beams 5 6. A hearing 25 is here shown as secured to one An adjusting screwshaft 26 is swiveled and mounted in the said bearing, so that said screw-shaft is immovable longitudinally with relation to the said bearing, and said screw-shaft has its threaded portion engaging a threaded opening in a standard or bracket 27, which is here shown as secured on the beam 6. A nut 28 is here shown as secured to said standard or bracket and engaged by the adjusting screw-shaft 26. The latter is also shown as provided with a hand-crank 29, by which it may be turned, and it will be understood that said screw when rotated causes the frame 21 to be adjusted transversely with reference to the frame 21. Said frame 21 has a bearing 30 at an elevated point for the mast 19. Since the lower end of the latter is supported by the fixed bearing 20, it will be understood that by adjusting the frame 21 the mast may be disposed at any appropriate angle with reference to the frame 1, and hence may be maintained in a vertical position when the said frame is not in a horizontal position. The arm or boom 31, from which the shovel or other dredging or excavating appliance is operated, is here indicated for the purposes of illustration and is shown as pivotally con nected at its inner end to the mast '19, near the lower end of the latter. The shovel or excavating appliance and the means for operating the arm or boom being no part of my present improvements are not here shown. Their construction is well understood by thoseskilled in the art to which my invention relates. A brace-bar 21 has its ends pivotally connected to the frames 1 and 21.

I will now describe my improved means for propelling the dredger or machine.

vA pair of propelling shoes or runners 32, of suitable form and dimensions, are each provided on their upper sides with a vertical standard 33 and a brace and guide bar 34, the latter being here shown as disposed in an inclined position with their lower ends secured to the propelling-runners near their front ends and their upper ends secured near the upper ends of the standards 33. Said standards and said brace-bars are disposed in the guideways 4 13 in the sides of the frame 1 and in the truss-frames, respectively. The said standards and brace-bars are adapted to move longitudinally and also vertically in said guideways. Each of the said standards 33 carries a direction-sheave 35 near its upper end.

In connection with each of the standards 33 I employ a traveling frame 36. As here shown, each traveling frame comprises a pair of uprights 37 38, the former being foremost, longitudinally-disposed bearers 39, which are on opposite sides of the uprights, near the upper ends of the latter, and disposed to travel on and bear upon the beams 2 3, longitudinally-disposed bars 40, which connect the lower ends of said uprights together and are disposed on opposite sides thereof, and rollers 41, which have their bearings as at 42, the said rollers being disposed when said traveling frames are slightly raised to bear against and travel on the under sides of the beams 2 3. The posts or standards 33 extend through the spaces formed between the uprights 37 38. The bearers 39 and the bars 40 and the said traveling frames are adapted to move vertically to some extent with relation to the said standards. The width of the spaces between the uprights of the respective traveling frames considerably exceeds that of the standards 33, and hence the latter may be inclined somewhat with relation to the said traveling frames. Each traveling frame has at its front upper corner a direction-sheave 42 and is provided in its rear side, about midway between its upper and lower sides, with a direction-sheave 44. Propelling ropes or cables 45 are attached to the braces 34, pass downwardly therefrom under and engage the sheaves 42, from the latter pass upwardly over and engage the sheaves 35, carried by the standards 33, then pass downwardly and engage the front and lower sides of the sheaves 44, pass rearwardly therefrom around direction-sheaves 46 47, with which frame 1 is provided at its rear end, and the innerends of said ropesorcables are united together and engage the sheave 48 of a block 49. The latter has a sheave 50, which is engaged by the bight of a rope or cable 51. One end of the latter is secured to one of the beams 11 or to any other fixed point of the frame 1, and the other end of said rope or cable 51 is attached to a winch 52. The latter may be rotated by any suitable means, as will be understood. When the winch 52 is operated to draw the block 49 forwardly, and thereby draw upon the propelling ropes or cables 45, the latter, owing to the sheaves 44, 35, and 42, draw downwardly on the posts or standards 33, braces 34, and runners 32, thereby engaging the latter with the surface on which the dredger or machine is operating and shifting the weight of the machine from the runners 15 to the propelling-runners 32, and this action of the propelling-ropes also serves to somewhat raise the traveling frames, so that the rollers 41 thereof engage the un der sides of the beams 2 3, and the continued pull of the propelling-ropes draws the propelling-runners rearwardly with reference to the frame 1, hence urging the latter forwardly, its runners 15 being relieved of the weight of the frame or machine and moving forwardly over the supporting-surface with which the propelling-runners are engaged. Ropes or cables 53 are connected to the propelling-runners, by means of which the latter may be drawn forwardly to become reengaged withthe supporting-surface. Saidropes or cables 53 are here shown as passing around direction-sheaves 54, which are near the front corners of the frame 1, and as connected to a winch 55, by means of which they may be operated. The construction of the traveling frames, which move with the propelling-runners rearwardly and forwardly, as hereinbefore described, is such as to adapt the standards 33 to tilt or incline to some extent. This enables the rear ends of the propelling-runners to be disposed somewhat more deeply in the supporting-surface than the front ends thereof when the machine is being moved forwardly and also enables the front ends of the said propelling-runners to be raised to some extent by the operation of the ropes 53 when the winch 55 is rotated to draw upon said ropes and move the propelling-runners forwardly to a position to reengage the supporting-surface.

It will be understood from the foregoing that while the propelling-runners are being moved forwardly the weight of the machine is shifted therefrom to the supporting-runners 15.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction and combination of devices herein shown and described, as modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In combination with. a body having relatively fixed supports-and longitudinal guideways, propelling-runners having standards guided in said guideways, traveling frames movable on said guideways with saidstandards and propelling-ropes fixed with relation to said runners and slidably connected to said standards and travelingframes, whereby tension on said ropes causes the propellingrunners to be lowered and the body to be moved forwardly therefrom, and means to reversely move said propelling-runners with reference to the body, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a body having relatively fixed supports and longitudinal guideways, propelling-runners having standards guided in said guideways, traveling frames movable on said guideways with said standards, the latter being adapted to be tilted or inclined, propelling-ropes fixed with relation to said runners and slidably connected to said standards and traveling frames, whereby tension on said ropes causes thepropellingrunners to be lowered and 'thebody to be moved forwardly therefrom, and means to reversely move said propelling-runners with reference to the body, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a body having relatively fixed supports and longitudinal guideways, propelling-runners having standards guided longitudinally and vertically movable in said guideways, traveling frames movable on said guideways longitudinally with said standards, said traveling frames being vertically movable independently of said standards and adapted to alternately engage the upper and lower sides of the guideways, propelling-ropes fixed with relation to said runners and slidably connected to said standards and traveling frames, whereby l tension on said ropes causes the propellingrunners to be lowered and the body to be moved forwardly therefrom, and means to reversely move said propelling-runners with reference to the body, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a frame having independently-movable supports adapted respectively to bear the weight of the frame, and means for advancing either of the supports relatively to the other.

5. The combination of a frame having independently movable supports, means for imposing the weight of the frame on either of the supports, and means for advancing either of the supports relatively to the other.

6. The combination of a main frame, a traveling frame mounted for progressive movement relatively to the main frame, independent supports for the main and traveling frames, for receiving the weight of'the main frame, and means for advancing either frame with relation to the other.

'7. The combination of a main frame hav ing supports, a traveling frame mounted for progressive movement relatively to the main frame and having supports, means for imposing the weight of the main frame onthe traveling frame, and means for advancing either frame relatively to the other.

8. The combination of a main frame having supports, a traveling frame mounted for progressive movement with relation to the main frame and also having supports, a traveler movable relatively to said main and traveling frames for imposing the weight of one on the other, and means for advancing one of the frames relatively to the other.-

9. The combination of a main frame having supports, a traveling frame mounted for progressive movement with relation to the main frame and also havingsupports, atraveler movable relatively to said main and traveling frames for imposing the weight of one on the other, and means for simultaneously actuating the traveler and advancing the supported frame.

10. The combination of a main frame having supports, a traveling frame mounted for progressive movement with relation to the main frame and also having supports, a traveler movable relatively to said main and traveling frames for imposing the weight of one on the other, and flexible means operatively related with said frames and traveler for simultaneously actuating the latter and advancing one of the frames.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT N. CROSS.

Witnesses:

R. G. MARVIN, E. HUFFMAN.

IIO 

